Peter Russell Corrigan (6 May 1941 – 1 December 2016) was an Australian
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
and was involved in the completion of works in stage and set design.
Early life and achievements
Corrigan was educated at
Christian Brothers College, St Kilda
St Mary's College (formerly Christian Brothers College, St Kilda) is an Independent school, independent Catholic school, Catholic secondary school for boys and girls, located in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The school was f ...
and then completed his degree in architecture, in 1966 at
Melbourne University
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
. He further pursued his studies at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
in 1969 under
Robert Venturi
Robert Charles Venturi Jr. (June 25, 1925 – September 18, 2018) was an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major architectural figures of the twentieth century.
Together with h ...
, completing a master's degree in Environmental Design. Having worked for
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson (July 8, 1906 – January 25, 2005) was an American architect best known for his works of modern and postmodern architecture. Among his best-known designs are his modernist Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut; the pos ...
,
Paul Rudolf
Paul F. Rudolf (born 6 December 1892, date of death unknown) was a Swiss rower
Rowing, sometimes called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached ...
,
César Pelli
César Pelli (October 12, 1926 – July 19, 2019) was an Argentine-American architect who designed some of the world's tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. Two of his most notable buildings are the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur a ...
and
Kevin Roche
Eamonn Kevin Roche (June 14, 1922 – March 1, 2019) was an Irish-born American Pritzker Prize-winning architect. He was responsible for the design/master planning for over 200 built projects in both the U.S. and abroad. These projects i ...
in New Haven, he returned to Australia in 1974 where he formed his practice,
Edmond and Corrigan
Edmond and Corrigan is an Australian architectural firm based in Melbourne, Victoria, founded in the late 1970s by partners Maggie Edmond and Peter Corrigan, the firm's principals. The practice's work, both built and written, has been widely ass ...
, a partnership with his wife,
Maggie Edmond
Margaret Leonie Edmond (née Suchestow; born 11 June 1946) is an Australian architect.
Education and formative years
As a child, Edmond's family lived in houses designed by notable Australian architects—the Bridgeford House in Black Rock, ...
, initiated in 1975. As a part of Edmond and Corrigan, they won 35 RAIA state awards and four Natural Architectural Design awards.
He obtained his honorary Doctor of Architecture in 1989, for his contribution to Australian Architectural theory and design. Further Adjunct Professor in 1989, at
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public research university in Melbourne, Australia.
Founded in 1887 by Francis Ormond, RMIT began as a night school offering classes in art, scienc ...
(RMIT).
Having studied at RMIT, Corrigan was a Professor of Architecture at
RMIT University
RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public research university in Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city ...
and taught architectural design and history for over 30 years. He marked his name as an internationally renowned architect, theatre designer, author and academic, based in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. He completed costume set design for numerous productions in Australia including "Hoopla Productions, Opera Australia, the Australian Performing Group, Melbourne Theatre Company, Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant, Playbox Theatre, Anthill, Going Through Stages, Nightshift, VSO, SATC, Queensland Lyric, Gligil Theatre Company (Theatre of Principle), Belvoir Street Theatre, STC and The Bell Shakespeare Company".
He had an enduring interest in architectural history and culture and collected an internationally significant large private library of architectural books, including many rare works on drawing and design.
Corrigan's extensive collection of books and periodicals related to architecture and design was left to
RMIT University Library
RMIT University Library (previously known as 'Libraries of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology') consists of six academic branch libraries in Australia and Vietnam. Its four Australian branches are located on the RMIT University campuses i ...
after his death.
In 1983–84 Corrigan was a guest professor at Graduate School of Design
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, Boston, Massachusetts, and in 1991 he was a guest lecturer at the
Polytechnic University of Turin
The Polytechnic University of Turin ( it, Politecnico di Torino) is the oldest Italian public technical university. The university offers several courses in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning and Industrial Design, and is co ...
, Italy. In the same year he was promoted at the Third Belgrade Triennial of World Architecture exhibition in Galerija Kulturmog Centra Beograda "39 prominent architects of the world". Likewise the work of Edmond and Corrigan has been exhibited internationally in 1991, 1999 and 2002 at the
Venice Biennale of Architecture
Venice Biennale of Architecture (in Italian
Mostra di Architettura di Venezia) is an international exhibition of architecture from nations around the world, held in Venice, Italy, every other year. It was held on even years until 2018, but 202 ...
.
An exhibition of Corrigan's life work was held at RMIT Gallery in 2013 entitled ''Cities of Hope''. It traced the "creative focus of this remarkable Australian architect, bringing to life many of his designs over four decades including architectural models and drawings by Edmond and Corrigan; set and costume designs for theatre; artworks, records and notations from his personal collection and key works selected from public collections which have enriched his practice".
This material has since been donated to the RMIT Design Archives and RMIT Library respectively.
Key projects
Since returning to Australia and commencing his practice Corrigan's work and styles have developed over the years.
The Chapel of St Josephs is located in 27–29 Strabane Avenues, Box Hill. It is located in the middle of the site with an inflected curve plan, with a long curved ramp from the street provides access to the building. The car park is located at the back of the building which gives enough space to view the building in a full circle, as one drives through.
The chapel is a
postmodern
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...
, three-dimensional solid brick building, with a flat-roofed canopy that is the most significant feature of the building. The use of red and cream brick creates subtle highlighted architectural effects not only on front façade, but also within its surrounds. The timber framed rectangular north-east facing windows, with the identical sized windows to the right of the curvy wall, brings about a dynamic contrast to the mostly curved shaped building. The chapel won the RAIA (Victorian Chapter) inaugural 25 Year Award.
The
RMIT Building 8
RMIT Building 8 is an educational building, part of RMIT University's City campus in Melbourne, Victoria. It is located at 383 Swanston Street, on the northern edge of Melbourne's central business district.
Completed in 1993, by Edmond and Corri ...
built in 1993, is one of Corrigan's most recognised buildings, and "combines the bold vision and whimsical style that is Corrigan’s trademark".
It is located in Swanston street Melbourne at the University of RMIT. The building creates characteristics of its own along with its structure, several colours and situated materials.
Built on a budget with tough constraints, the designing of building 8 needed to accommodate buildings below and next door as it is currently sitting on top of
John Andrew’s unfinished union building. Following the construction of Building 8 it was found necessary to include a "new lift and service core"
["Philip Goad, 2009, Melbourne Architecture, (Watermark Architectural Guides), The Watermark Press "](_blank)
to allow access to the upper floors. In addition to this "the deep floor plate"
was also maximised allowing further developed for rooms located on the upper floors. Detail within the interior such as "balustrades and hand railing"
have been positioned in a way giving the building a unique yet chaotic sentiment.
Noticeable along the streetscape of Swanston street, Building 8's roof gives the building part of its individuality. The positioning of the multiple roof structures, form and materiality make this building unique. The building structure also provides examples of many different uses of materials for different areas, some of which include "coloured stone facades, steel pipe strut supports and a polychrome and polygon brick"
shown within parts of the building, all of which affect RMIT's atmosphere.
The Readings Book Shop is a heritage listed post office founded in 1910, and renovated to be a bookshop and completed in 2005. It is located on 253 Bay St, Port Melbourne, Victoria, 3207. It's a mezzanine in one hand and a freestanding form in the middle of the room on the other. With the sharp angles and its flat surfaces, it filled the bookshop. Surrounding the room are bookshelves up to the first floor. This is an open space without walls.
List of projects
; Edmond & Corrigan
*Church of the Resurrection: Keysborough, 1976. RAIA Victoria State chapter housing merit award, 1981
*Freedom Club Child-care Centre: Keysborough, 1977
*Kew house, 1982. RAIA Victoria State chapter housing merit award
*46 Little Latrobe Street: the office of Edmond & Corrigan: Melbourne, 1986
*
Athan House
The Athan House was designed by the Melbourne-based architectural firm of Edmond and Corrigan and is located in Monbulk, a town located in the Dandenong Ranges just outside metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. The project team consisted of Pet ...
, Monbulk, Vic., 1986–88
*
RMIT Building 8
RMIT Building 8 is an educational building, part of RMIT University's City campus in Melbourne, Victoria. It is located at 383 Swanston Street, on the northern edge of Melbourne's central business district.
Completed in 1993, by Edmond and Corri ...
, 1993
*Ringwood plaza, 1994, RAIA Victoria State chapter award 1995: new institutional public buildings and award for urban design
*Exhibition centre, showground stage-1', 1997, RAIA Victoria State chapter award of merit 1997
*Lehrer residence, RAIA Victoria State chapter award of merit 2000
*
Niagara Galleries
Niagara Galleries shows contemporary and Modernist Australian art in Richmond, an inner suburb of Melbourne, from a terrace which has been substantially remodelled in a postmodern style.
History
The gallery was established by Kyneton High Sch ...
, Richmond, Victoria, 2001,
Colorbond
BlueScope Steel Limited is an Australian flat product steel producer that was Corporate spin-off, spun-off from BHP, BHP Billiton in 2002.
History
BlueScope was formed when BHP, BHP Billiton Corporate spin-off, spun-off its steel assets on 15 ...
Steel Award 2002
*Academic Centre, Newman College and St Mary's College, 2002
*Victorian College of the Art- school of Drama, 2004, in association with Castles Stephenson+ Turner
*Lux house alteration: front porch, 2005
*Readings bookshop, 2005
References
Further reading
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External links
Peter Corrigan's webpage at RMIT UniversityPeter Corrigan CVRingwood Library''Guide to the Papers of Peter Corrigan'' UNSW collection: details Corrigan's work with the Australian Performing Group and many other theatre companies.''Edmond and Corrigan Collection'' held at RMIT Design Archives''Peter Corrigan Collection'' held at RMIT Libraries''Treasures of the Corrigan Collection'' Peter Corrigan's extensive collection of books and periodicals related to architecture and design was left to RMIT University Library after his death. This brief report gives context to who Corrigan was and features highlights from the collection..
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corrigan, Peter
1941 births
2016 deaths
University of Melbourne alumni
Yale School of Architecture alumni
RMIT University faculty
Architects from Melbourne
Recipients of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal
Members of the Order of Australia
People from Daylesford, Victoria
People educated at St Mary's College, Melbourne